The 'High School Musical' star, who is set to marry her long-time boyfriend Christopher French this summer, kicked off the festivities with friends, including her former co-star Vanessa Hudgens, in Miami, Florida on Thursday night (15.05.14).

The blonde beauty, 28, shared a number of pictures from their first evening out at the Purdy Lounge on Instagram.

They then partied on a boat on Friday night (16.05.14), according to UsMagazine.com, during which the bride-to-be proudly wore a pink 'Bachelorette' sash.

She also wrote on Twitter: ''Off to a very exciting weekend.''

She later added: ''Weekend with my girls.''

The actress got engaged to her rocker boyfriend in August when he proposed on the 103rd floor of the Empire State Building in New York City, after just eight months of dating.

She tweeted at the time: ''Best night of my life. We're on top of the world.''

In December, Ashley gushed about how ''natural'' and easy their relationship was from the beginning.

She said: ''I've obviously been in long relationships in the past. But I think because of knowing what I wanted, I wouldn't have gone into a relationship if it wasn't what I wanted. I think from the moment that him and I met, I just knew it. I was like, 'Ok this is the guy,' and he knew the same thing. It doesn't get any better. I just can't explain it.''

The actress previously revealed she is planning to have a ''small'' and ''private'' ceremony, but insisted she hadn't set a date.